Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what specific support his Department is providing to care home residents to help them (a) identify an essential care giver and (b) receive regular visits from that care giver.
Our guidance states that all residents should be supported to nominate an essential care giver. It recognises that residents, their loved ones and their carers will be best placed to make decisions on who the essential care giver should be. The guidance also sets out the arrangements for essential care givers and where a resident lacks the mental capacity to nominate their essential care giver. If a resident or their family have concerns that care home is not following visiting guidance appropriately, it should be raised with the home in the first instance. The Care Quality Commission can also investigate complaints.